How To Save Money On Cable – Get Your Shows Without Spending Big

Streaming services are becoming the rave of the moment and for good reason. This is because, when compared to cable TV, they are relatively inexpensive and save you money. It is on record that most people pay as much as upwards of $100 per month for their cable subscription. When you include this to the other bills the average family has to pay per month, it rises to a significant sum. Unlike cable bills, streaming services are not as expensive. You still have to make payments to offset your monthly bill; however, the cost is a lot cheaper. It might also be possible to access more shows on a streaming service than you would with a cable provider.

In the light of all of these, why do people still prefer and/or stick to cable? A possible reason for this is just not knowing that their spending too much. Most folks do not understand that rerouting the money you pay to the cable company might be beneficial. More so, because most alternatives are internet-based. Additionally, some people, especially from the older generation, might not want to go through the hassle of setting up reliable internet service. The last reason is just familiarity. The random person might just really need a trustworthy company to access the sports channel or food network and remain loyal customers even when they could cut back and save money.

In reality, it is definitely possible to save money on cable. That, in itself, is the subject of this guide. We will first provide you with alternatives if you are looking for other ways to enjoy access to premium channels without going through the cable route. However, if you choose to remain a loyal customer, we also have effective tips on how to save money on cable. Here goes!

Alternatives to Cable For Saving Money Per Month

Just like saving money on your cellphone bill, clothes, or even hotels, saving money on cable is do-able! One option for saving is switching to an alternative altogether. So, if you are one of the people looking to make a clean break from your cable package, we have you covered. Asides from cable providers, other streaming services make sure you have access to great shows and movies, all for a cheaper rate. Below are some top cable alternatives to consider.

Amazon Prime

You can choose to either pay for Amazon Prime or the Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Prime alone costs just around $9 per month. This is way less than you get with cable services. If you have the Amazon Fire TV, it is actually a lot easier to integrate both services.

Netflix

Netflix is probably the most popular streaming service out there. You may know someone who is a customer. With Netflix, you can drastically save money on your cable.  You can stream or download shows on various devices, including mobile devices and even your smart TV. One drawback, however, is that you will have to make sure that the TV shows have been completely ended on network TVs like HBO before you search for it on Netflix. However, asides from this, Netflix is a great alternative to pay attention to.

Hulu

Hulu is an excellent streaming service that provides one of the most reliable ways to save money on cable. Just like cable providers, you get original content on Hulu. Even more so, you get to watch shows from cable and other local channels, although not immediately they air. With Hulu, you’ll have to watch them a little later. However, that is a great trade-off for the reduction in price that you get. Speaking of price, Hulu caters to every demographic. Its price range is from $6 to $65, depending on whether you are going for the basic, bundle, or live TV option.

Youtube TV

This is also another awesome alternative to spending money to pay for the services of a cable company. YouTube TV allows you access to over 70 channels of your choice. If you are interested in keeping up with the news, YouTube TV also makes sure that is possible. TV shows, sports channels, etc., are not left out. It is an entire package that costs less than $65. Although this is by no way cheap, it is also not exorbitant. You could easily make this part of your monthly bill.

Sling TV

A lot of people do not know about Sling TV. Remarkably, unlike the other streaming services, you can watch shows while they are being aired. You would not need to wait for them to be available on the platform. However, you will have to watch the shows over the internet. Hence, this might significantly affect your internet bill. However, at just $30 per month, this might be a good enough bargain to make.

Tips For Saving On Cable

If, for some reason, you want to keep up with the cable package you are currently on, there are ways to get it for cheaper than you currently do. Cable companies may not necessarily be expensive; however, ignorance of certain key considerations could have you paying more. Here are some tips to save money on your cable per month.

Do Your Research

You may be able to save money if you start by researching the cable provider you intend to go with. Even if you have been a loyal customer of a particular company for years, there’s no harm in checking out the competition. Thus, find out what deals the other providers offer. Compare it with what you currently and decide which is best. When it comes to your finances, being emotional or towing the lines of sentiment will not do you any good. Cancel your subscription if you have to. Of course, you may have to pay a fee for canceling your subscription. However, if that is the best route to follow, simply embrace it.

Pay Attention to the Fees

As a general rule, you need to account for every single bill that you receive per month. Whether for electricity, phone bills, or the likes, you should be conscientious enough to ascertain that service providers are not looking to rip you off. This attitude is also essential when it comes to your cable bill. As soon as it comes in per month, take the time to go over it. Do not give it a cursory look or an absentminded once over. No, rather, pay attention to each item. You should be looking out for anomalies, inflated costs, etc. Even if you aren’t quite sure of any item, simply call the provider’s customer service line to ensure there is no funny business going on. Generally, there are some bits of your bill you cannot possibly avoid. However, some are totally optional. For instance, you may not need to have HD technology as part of your line.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that this is overkill. When looking to save money, you must engage any legitimate process necessary. Even those that could impact your comfort.

Downsize

The truth is that you may not really need all of your cable channels. In fact, most families rotate between the same 20 or so channels even though they typically have up to 100 sometimes. Take a hard look at the current bundle you are on and honestly assess whether you really need and can afford it. Consider what channels have your favorite shows, which means that you would want to watch them often. When you are certain about the number of channels you actively follow, see if your provider has an offering within that range. You can then get off your current subscription and hop on that one. For the most part, you would not notice the difference. On the other hand, you will save a few (hundred) dollars every other month. This is what makes downsizing one of the best ways to save money on cable.

Try Bundle Services

One other very effective way to save money is through bundling your cable and internet. Instead of paying for both services separately, you can pair the services together and pay for them once and for all. If you are still paying for your phone service and cable internet separately, you are so far behind on the current trend. Many companies offer incentives to customers who wish to bundle their services. Hence, you could even get to pay just a fraction of the cost of what you ordinarily would have had to pay. Just make a phone call to your cable company to ascertain if they offer that option.

Drop the Premium Package

If you are on a premium package and really need to save money, you might want to consider dropping it. Most folks pay for channels like HBO and Showtime and then only watch movies with those channels. Of course, there is nothing wrong with subscribing to a premium package, especially if you can afford it. However, when it begins to strain your finances, that is definitely an indication to look for an alternative. One such alternative that could work here is renting the movies you watch on these channels. It even gets easier if you have a DVR. You could just rent any of the movies and watch them on your DVR instead. However, you may want to be careful. A DVR might add to your monthly bill still. That is if the DVR is a rental from the cable company. Thus, you could watch movies on cable apps instead. The apps are usually free and even more convenient.

Cut the Cord

Even with careful implementation of the strategies discussed here, you could end up still bleeding money every month. In such a scenario, your best bet might be to just cut the cord on the service altogether. This is a drastic measure and should be your last resort when all else has failed. Before you pull the plug, though, you may want to use a cord cutting calculator to how much exactly you will be saving on your monthly cable and the best way to go about it. What happens when you eliminate your cable service totally? You can then explore alternatives. In the preceding section, we discussed all the alternatives available if you want to ditch your cable service.

Cable has come to become quite an indispensable feature of every home. Users spend money monthly to have continuous access to their favorite shows and movies. The different channels on the platform also give access to a lot of video content. However, cable services are becoming increasingly expensive. It is not unusual to find the average family paying hundreds of dollars each month just to remain connected.  It puts a strain on families, especially those who are mid-level or low-income earners. If you fall into any of the categories discussed above, this article will prove indispensable. We’ve highlighted some of the ways to reduce the cost of cable. If, however, you aim to kiss the platform goodbye permanently, we also have you covered. This discussion also points out alternatives to cable, making sure your favorite shows are still accessible regardless.